Darkness Rising
by phantom-phan-28
Summary: Just as Pegasus is finally getting used to life without the Millennium Eye, he is thrust into a world of darkness and danger. How will he ajust to his new life as a vampire? Rated T for violence and brief language from ch. 4 & up
1. The Changing

Chapter 1

The day had just been like any other. Business had gone on as usual in the Pegasus household, though the household only consisted of Mr. Pegasus and the servants. Little did they know that change was on the wind. After that night, Pegasus' life would never be the same...

* * *

It started with a strange sound on the balcony outside his window. Pegasus' eyes fluttered open. _What on earth…?_he thought drowsily. He got out of bed and went to investigate. Standing on the balcony was a man in a black hooded cloak. Pegasus quickly unlocked the door and stepped outside.

The man was lanky, with pale, slim hands. His appearance stirred a faint memory. It took Pegasus a moment to realize that he had been staring. He immediately regained composure, and approached the man. "I apologize for the intrusion," the man began, "but I had to speak with you. I would have come at an earlier time, but that was impossible."

"Who are you?" Pegasus asked. The man had an aura of strangeness that sent chills down Pegasus' spine. But, more than that, the thing that disturbed him the most was the nostalgia he was feeling. _Where have I seen him before?_

"My name is Caleb. Perhaps you do not remember me. I was a friend of your father's. I have been watching you for a long time. You have met my expectations. Surpassed them, actually."

_Caleb! It couldn't be! _Pegasus did remember him, but he looked younger than he should be; Pegasus' father was in his late 60's, but this man appeared to not look a day older than 30. _This doesn't make any sense._ "What do you want with me?" he asked timidly, unable to disguise the confusion in his voice.

"I have come to tell you the truth." he began. "Please try not to interrupt. I probably appear strange to you, for your father and I were the same age. When I said I would have come at an earlier time to speak with you, I meant _years_ earlier. It is time you told the truth." He pulled back his hood, revealing his careworn face. "The first truth I must tell you is this: I have not aged because I am not human. I am a vampire."

That statement alone sent a cold dagger of fear into Pegasus' heart. He instinctively clutched at the rosary he wore under his shirt. _Please God,_ he prayed, _don't let him kill me._ The subjects of supernatural creatures such as vampires and werewolves had terrified Pegasus since childhood, and they had always haunted his nightmares. To be in the presence of that which he feared could have made him die of fright, but he stood his ground.

"I know this is a shock to you, and I am sorry to say that the next truth will shock you even more." He sighed. "I am not the only one of my kind you have met. You have known another your entire life. Your father was also a vampire, making you half-vampire by birth."

Pegasus shook his head in disbelief. "No. You're making this up. Father _couldn't _have been a…" He couldn't bring himself to say it. To think that his own father had been one of the monsters he feared! The man had to be insane, but it _did_ explain his father's strange behavior.

Caleb drew closer. "Now that you know what you are, you must embrace your heritage. You must become a full vampire. I am the only one who can help you with that."

A mixture of fear and loathing filled Pegasus to the core. "No. I'd die first!"

Caleb shook his head. "I had hoped you wouldn't force me to do this, but it appears I no longer have a choice." Anger flared in Caleb's eyes. "If you will not turn willingly, I will turn you whether you want to or not!"

With that, Caleb pounced. He seized Pegasus by his hair and yanked him close. Pegasus cried out in fright and struggled with his captor. With a sudden twist, he met Caleb's piercing glare. Instantly, Pegasus was falling, falling, falling…

* * *

Pegasus' eyes opened slowly. Sunlight immediately flashed into his eyes. "Ow!" Two pains shocked him: the light in his eyes, and the strange pain in the side of his neck. He quickly got out of bed and went over to the mirror.

There on his neck were what appeared to be two gray inverted mosquito bites, directly over the jugular vein. The strange thing was, other than the fact of their existence, they didn't itch and they were in the same position a vampire's fangs would be. _Vampire fangs… _

_No. It _couldn't_ have happen. It must have just been a dream…_

Hope you liked that. More to come soon. Please review!

* * *


	2. Heritage

Just wanted to add this: **I do _not _own Yu-Gi Oh! It is the soul property of Kazuki Takahashi.**

Chapter 2

* * *

Pegasus tried to ignore the strange marks in his neck, but to no avail. A few of the servants noticed the markings, which Pegasus quickly explained away as insect bites (though when they asked what kind, he quickly changed the subject). To avoid awkward questions, he kept his collar over the bites, hidden from prying eyes.

Over the next few days, changes began to come over Pegasus. Some of them were subtle: his vision became sharper, his senses heightened. He also stopped eating garlic (which bothered no one; he had never really eaten much anyway). Others were not so subtle. For some reason, he became unusually sleepy around noon, so he ended up eating lunch later on. He also stayed up later than the others did.

Finally, there were two incidents that proved that Pegasus was not the same as he usually was. One day, it was decided that the house needed a new coat of paint. Artist that he was, Pegasus immediately agreed to help. While on one of the higher scaffoldings, he noticed that someone had missed a portion of the siding. Foolishly, he leaned towards it with his brush. The scaffolding suddenly began to wobble and, with a cry of fright, Pegasus tumbled off the scaffolding and toward the sidewalk below.

Halfway to the ground, something strange happened. Pegasus suddenly flipped in midair and landed gracefully on his feet. He stood there for a moment, not understanding what had happened. When one of the servants asked him how he had done that, he truthfully answered that he hadn't the faintest idea.

The second incident was darker and a bit more disturbing. Pegasus was in the kitchen, helping one of the servants prepare dinner. While he was working, the knife the servant was using slipped, cutting his hand. The moment Pegasus's eyes fell across the blood, an unnatural craving filled him. He longed to drink the blood coming from the wound. Revulsion at the thought filled him two seconds later.

"Sir? Are you all right?"

Pegasus looked up. "Oh, sorry. I was miles away." he lied. _I won't do it. I _won't_ drink human blood! _Nevertheless, Pegasus's vampire instincts overtook his human nature...

* * *

The hour was late. Pegasus moved through the house swiftly and yet like a sleepwalker as well. He was on the prowl for human blood. He came across one of the servants sleeping on the couch. The moonlight fell across his face. Pegasus's eyes went to the servant's exposed neck. His canine teeth sharpened into fangs. His eyes gained catlike slits for pupils. Pegasus turned the man's face away and sank his fangs into the man's flesh, drinking his fill of the man's blood. He pulled away and retreated to the shadows.

* * *

Pegasus awoke the next morning feeling strangely refreshed, while the servant felt weaker. Seeing the man's condition, he knew what had happened and that he could not, by willpower alone, control has vampiric impulses.

* * *

Tha was probably my worst chappie. But the next ones will be better. I promise! Please review.


	3. Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Chapter 3

* * *

Pegasus finally came to accept that he would never be human again. With much misgiving, he learned to cope with his new form. However, he made a foolish mistake: he believed himself to be the only vampire on the premises. Time came to show him how wrong he was.

Pegasus had vowed only to drink as much human blood as he needed to survive, no more. He had read in one of the books Caleb had lent him that vampires had to be careful what kind of blood they drank, so he came up with a clever way to find out if a person's blood was safe to drink. He secretly made a small cut on the person and tasted the blood. Often, the blood was safe. Other times, it was safe, but tasted foul (especially when the person had been drinking; when that happened, Pegasus often ended up with a splitting headache for days after).

In one fateful instance, Pegasus didn't have to cut the man, for his fingers had slipped and he had cut himself with a steak knife. When the man left the room to get a bandage, Pegasus picked up the knife and (making sure no one was looking first) ran his tongue against the flat side of the blade where the blood had collected. The blood had an unusual bitterness to it.

No sooner than he had put the blade down, a wave of dizziness swept over him. He quickly grabbed onto the counter for support. _What's happening to me? _Croquet, the man who had cut himself, came back into the room. "Sir? Are you alright?" he asked in a concerned tone, but his voice seemed to come from the end of a very long tunnel. Pegasus tried to answer, but his throat seemed paralyzed. His knees buckled, and his world went black.

* * *

"Hey! He's coming around!"

Pegasus felt someone's hand pressed against his forehead. He moaned softly. A hand was holding his. Pegasus gave it a reassuring squeeze and opened his eyes. He saw Croquet gazing at him with apprehension. He tried to sit up but was forced back down.

"Not yet, sir. Wait until you're feeling better." Croquet murmured.

"I _am_ feeling better, Croquet!" Pegasus said with annoyance. He absolutely _despised_ people worrying about him, and now was no exception.

Croquet glanced around nervously, making sure no one else was in the room. "Sir, why didn't you tell me?" he asked in an undertone.

Pegasus didn't quite understand. "Tell you about what?"

Croquet gestured to a spot over the jugular vein on his neck exactly in the same position as Pegasus's mark. _Uh oh. This could be bad._ He decided to continue playing dumb. "I don't get it"

Croquet sighed. "Sir, I already know. You can tell me the truth. Don't you trust me?" He gave Pegasus a rather hurt glance, gazing into his eyes. Pegasus suddenly felt lightheaded and compelled to trust Croquet with the truth.

"How did you figure out?" Pegasus muttered.

Croquet glanced toward the door again. The he slowly pulled back his own collar, revealing a faded mark on his neck identical to Pegasus's own. He smiled. "We're exactly the same. We always have been. Will you trust me now?" he asked, his voice becoming oddly soothing.

Pegasus nodded. He then noticed a strange brand on Croquet's wrist. Before he could get a better look at it, Croquet yanked his sleeve over it. He placed his hand on Pegasus's forehead. "You should try to get some rest." He murmured. "We don't want to risk a relapse, do we?" Pegasus shook his head, his eyes growing very heavy. He laid his head against one of the pillows, closed his eyes, and immediately fell asleep.

* * *

Pegasus heard a strange patter of footsteps on the balcony outside his widow. He opened his eyes slowly, noticing that night had fallen. Someone knocked quietly on the pane; a hooded and cloaked someone.

"Max?" the figure called softly.

The voice stirred a memory. "Caleb?" Pegasus got out of bed and went outside. It felt like that first night all over again, only this time Pegasus was already a full vampire.

"How are you getting on? I heard you fell ill today."

"Heard from whom?" Pegasus asked, slightly annoyed. He closed the window behind him, wanting to keep their conversation private.

"No one in particular." Caleb said indifferently. He frowned. "You didn't drink vampire blood by accident, did you?"

"I think I might have. But don't worry!" he said quickly, seeing Caleb's distress. "I feel fine. Really!"

"What vampire did you drink from?" Caleb asked. "I wasn't aware of any other vampire here other than you."

"Croquet. One of the servants." Pegasus replied.

"And how do you know he is a vampire?" Caleb asked arrogantly, clearly testing him.

"He has the same mark I have. I also passed out when I tasted his blood." Pegasus countered. He frowned. "I've been meaning to talk to you about this. He had some kind of brand on his left wrist. Is there some kind of vampiric significance?"

"His…left wrist?" Caleb muttered, confused. His eyes suddenly widened in horror. He grappled Pegasus by the shoulders. "What did it look like?" he whispered hoarsely. "Tell me!"

"It-it looked like a capital _V_. Why?" Pegasus stammered. He had never seen Caleb so frightened.

"Does he know you're a vampire?" Caleb whispered frantically, squeezing tighter.

"Yes! I told him earlier! What's wrong?" Caleb's grip became intolerable. "Caleb, you're hurting me!"

"You must leave here at once! You are in terrible danger!" Caleb whispered.

"I'm in _danger_ of losing my _arms_, Caleb. You're crushing them!"

Caleb's grip lessened. Pegasus rubbed at one shoulder gingerly. "I am deathly serious, Max. Croquet is one of the Vampanese!"

"The _what_?" Pegasus asked, incredulous.

"The Vampanese. They are vampires that have gone completely insane. They hunt for sport. They feed to kill, and they are _fiercely_ territorial. They will kill _any_ vampire on the land they've claimed. They are branded for the safety of others."

"That's insane! Croquet would never hurt me!" Pegasus snapped. While he said this, his eyes became strangely clouded.

Caleb noticed the change. "Max, what's wrong?" The concern in his voice was overpowering.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm fine!" He seemed distant, disconnected.

"Max, look at me!" Caleb snarled, turning Pegasus's face toward his. Pegasus barely blinked. "Max, when he spoke to you, did he sound calming?"

"Yes." He seemed even more disconnected.

"Max! Max, I think he hypnotized you! Look at me!" Caleb cried frantically. In his hysteria, he struck Pegasus across the face. Pegasus blinked. His fingertips went to the red marks on his face.

His eyes cleared. "Was that _honestly_ necessary?" he asked sourly.

A rustling came from the rooftop above them. Caleb looked up. "Go back inside. Get back in bed. Pretend you've been sleeping." He glanced over. "Quickly!"

Pegasus scampered back through the window and scrambled into bed. He heard footsteps in the hallway. He quickly closed his eyes and tried to slow his breathing. The door opened. He heard the footsteps come close to him. He felt someone's fingers press against his pulse point on his neck. He would feel Pegasus's heart hammering. He heard a sigh.

"Sleep well, Mr. Pegasus." Croquet murmured. He heard the sound of Croquet breathing into his hands, as if the room were very cold. Without warning, his hand was pressed against Pegasus's nose and mouth. He tried to hold his breath, but Croquet was too quick. An unnatural sleepiness fell over him and he sank into oblivion.

* * *

Pegasus's eyes drifted open. For barely a moment, he forgot that he had been in any danger. Then the memories of the night before came flooding back_. I'm in danger. Croquet could kill me at any time. Caleb's right. I've _got_ to get out of here!_ However, that proved easier said than done. Croquet never let Pegasus out of his sight. For three days, he was constantly under Croquet's shadow.

Finally, he got his chance. Croquet had left the house for the evening (_Hunting for human blood, no doubt_. Pegasus thought bitterly). With Croquet gone, he could escape. Pegasus waited twenty minutes before slipping upstairs, packing a bag of clothes, and sneaking out the front door.

Sadly, Croquet wasn't the only one who was watching Pegasus. Not ten minutes after he had slipped out, Kemo went to the phone and dialed. When he heard someone pick up, he whispered, "James, it's Kemo. He just left on foot. You'll catch him in less than five minutes if you go now." He heard the click on the other end signify that the message had been received.

Meanwhile, Pegasus was walking on the side of the road, hoping for a car to pass by. He would rather take his chances hitchhiking than with the possibility of Croquet coming back and seeing him walking. His fingers went to the rosary on his neck. _Judica__ me Deus – wait…scratch that one, Father. I'd rather not be judged right now. _He prayed. _Quia __tu__es__ Deus __fortitudo__ mea…__quia tu__es__ Deus __fortitudo__ mea. _The prayers eased his fears.

Suddenly a set of headlights came over the hill. Pegasus waved his arm out in the road to get the driver's attention. A rustling in the trees caught his ear. He waved a little harder towards the van. The driver slowed, but in that same moment, a voice whispered into Pegasus's ear.

"You're going to have to get up earlier than _that_ to get the better of me, Pegasus."

Pegasus felt a sudden, sharp pain in the side of his neck and he slumped into Croquet's arms like a rag doll.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed that. Oh, in case you're wondering, Pegasus's prayers are in Latin.

Judica me Deus- Judge me, O God

Quia tues Deus fortitudo mea- For thou, O Lord, art my strength

P.S: The Vampanese (slight spelling change) are from the Cirque du Freak series and are the property of Darren Shan. Their attributes are altered to fit this story.


	4. Revenge

Chapter 4

* * *

Croquet caught the unconscious Pegasus and flagged down the approaching van. It stopped right next to them. The window came down, revealing a man wearing sunglasses and a bandanna resembling the American flag on his head.

"Good thing Kemo called me after he called you, James, or I _never_ would've found him!" the man chuckled.

"Nice seeing you again, Keith. How long has it been since Duelist Kingdom?"

"I don't like thinking about it." Bandit Keith muttered. "Are you gonna get in or what?"

The door opened and Croquet shoved Pegasus inside. He climbed in and the door slid shut. The engine revved and they sped into the countryside.

"I hope you found somewhere for us to continue the experiments." Croquet murmured.

"Of _course_ I did! I wouldn't be keeping my end of the bargain if I hadn't, now would I?" Keith snapped. "You're gonna like the place I found. Totally isolated. If _he_" Keith thumbed toward Pegasus "tries to make a break for it, he won't find anybody for miles."

"All right, I'm intrigued. Where is it?"

"About twenty minutes from here. It's an abandoned sanatorium. They used to perform _gruesome_ stuff on the inmates there."

Croquet grinned. "It sounds perfect."

Keith glanced into the rearview mirror and frowned. "How long before that stuff wears off?"

"A few hours at least. Why?"

"I'd rather not have to drag him kicking and screaming into the building. I'm sure you understand."

Croquet looked up. "I understand perfectly."

* * *

Pegasus shivered. _Where am I?_ His mind felt as though it was in a fog. Part of him wanted to get up and figure out where he was; the rest of him wanted to go back to sleep. He opened his eyes with difficulty. Moonlight filtered down through the small barred window and bounced off the walls.

He sat up. Pegasus had seen enough horror movies to know where he was. Whoever had taken him had locked him in a sanatorium. He heard a rustling in one of the corners. _Great. There's a rat infestation._ Then he saw a small figure curled up in the corner. "Who's there?" he called out, surprised by how weak his voice sounded.

The figure looked up and crawled toward the light. Pegasus saw that it was no bigger than a child. In fact, it was a child. The boy looked up and smiled. Pegasus recognized that smile. _It can't be…_ "Sam?" he asked in disbelief.

"You remember me?" Sam asked happily.

Pegasus smiled. "How could I forget?" His head began to throb. Pegasus winced, and his fingertips went to his forehead. "How long have I been here?"

"Well, they brought you in around midnight. It's 4:00 now." Sam stood up, walked over to Pegasus, and sat down next to him.

"Why are you here?" Pegasus asked.

"Well, my dad's a scientist. These weird people came to his lab a week ago and told him they needed his help with a project. Dad turned them down. Then one of them grabbed me and they told Dad if he didn't help them, they would kill me. They keep me here so Dad will do what they want." He looked up. "Why are you here?"

Pegasus sighed. "I wish I knew." He looked around. "Is there any way out of this place?"

Sam shook his head. "If there was, I'd have found it by now. They keep guards by the front door and all the windows are barred."

Footsteps came down the corridor. Sam jumped up and scurried towards a shadowy corner. The lock clicked and the door swung open. Keith stuck his head through the door. He saw Pegasus and grinned.

"Well, look who's awake! It's been a while, Pegasus."

Pegasus's eyes narrowed in disgust. "Bandit Keith. Why am I not surprised?"

Keith pretended to be hurt. "Gee, it's nice to see you too."

"What do you want with me?" Pegasus snapped, not wanting to spend any more time with Keith then he had to.

Keith stepped a little closer to Pegasus. He wore a malicious smirk on his face. "Well, I told one of my buddies that I was coming down here to check on you, but I have different plans." Hatred filled his eyes. "This is for what you did to me at Duelist Kingdom!" With that, Keith slammed his fist into Pegasus's chest.

Pegasus tried to retaliate, but the drug was still in his veins, which slowed his reflexes. Blow after blow rained down on him and he couldn't stop it. Keith seized Pegasus by the collar and slammed him to the floor of the cell. He felt his wrist break, and tried not to scream in pain.

Finally, Keith stopped attacking. "That's enough for now." With that, he turned on his heel and left the cell, locking the door behind him. Within a few minutes, his footsteps faded away.

Sam pounced out of the corner and ran over to Pegasus. Pegasus held his wrist stiff as he got to his feet. He knew that a vampire could heal broken bones, but he had to keep his wrist still. He eased himself on to the bed in the cell. Pain wracked his body from the innumerable blows Keith had given him.

"I should go get my dad." Sam whispered. "You look awful."

"If you do that, the others will know you've been in here. Besides," Pegasus leaned back on the headboard, wincing. "I'll be alright."

"If you say so." Sam muttered, unconvinced. He looked up. "Is there anything I can do?"

Pegasus shook his head. "No, but thanks anyway." He laid his head on the pillow and was soon fast asleep.

* * *

Sam heard the lock on the cell door click and the door swung open. He scrambled for the corner he always hid in, but then he heard someone mutter "I already know you're in here, so you can come out."

He stood up and saw a man with gray hair and sunglasses come in. The man frowned and walked over to Pegasus's sleeping form. He pressed his hand on Pegasus's forehead, and then fingered his injured wrist.

Croquet felt the bone regenerating under the flesh. He pressed his hand on Pegasus's other arm and heard him moan softly. Croquet pulled back Pegasus's sleeve and saw numerous bruises. "Did Keith do this?" He asked, fury building in his voice. Sam nodded weakly. "That bastard." He muttered, then blushed and whispered "Pardon my language." He stood. "I'll take care of this." With that he turned on his heel and strode out of the room, locking the door to the cell behind him. Sam knelt next to Pegasus's bed and stayed with him the rest of the night.

* * *

And that, children, is why I hate bandit Keith. You all know what to do now. Use the super-special-awesome button in the bottom left corner of your screen. Please review.


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